Broom, brush, and the like



July 149, 1938.' w. KRAFT BROOM, BRUSH, ANDV THE LIKE Fi Led May* 28 1937 av, 1V w Patented July 1938` UNlTED i STATES PATENT OFFICE 'A 2,124,197 BRooM, BRUSH, AND THE LIKE` Werner Kraft, New `York, N. Y. Y Application May' 2s, 1937, serial No. 145,171

d-(llaims.` (Cl.4 306-19) `'Ihe present invention relates to brooms, brushes andthe like, and is of particular `ad-v vantagewith solid back brushes, such as hard brooms or scrubbing brushes. Y l

Anl object of the invention is to provide a twin broom or brush the handle of which is movable relatively to the body or Vback member carrying the bristles, broom straws or other fibrous or wire filaments.

Another object ofthe inventionis to provide a solid back broom or brush having a movable v handle, in which the tendency'to raise the trailing edges of the back members during the sweeping action is reduced, and in which means may be present for braking the relative movement of the -handle and the back member.

The invention consists of two back members having a common axle and being connected to each other with a gap therebetween, and a handle journaled on said axle in said gap, said axle being located substantially below the longitudinal axis rof equilibrium of said back members.

Other objects and details of the invention wil be apparent from the description hereinafter of embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying Vdrawing in which: Fig. 1 is an elevation,.partly in section, of a brush according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section along line 2-.-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view, and

Fig. 4 a plan bottomjview of a `partei/ the brush;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of another modification, and I Y Fig. 6 is a section along line yI---Ii of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is an elevation, partly in section, of another modification, and 1 I K l Fig. 8 is a section along line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Referring now to Figs. 1 and v2, two solid back members 20 and 2| are provided with bristles 2 i fastened thereto in any suitable manneras wellknown in the art. The back members may be `madeof wood or of metal, and the bristles may `be of animalA hair, broo-mystraw, fibrous material, or of wire. The term bristles used `hereinafter and in the claims is to .bei understood 'therefore ascomprising any material suitable for Vbrooms and brushes.

The members 20 and 2I are provided each with a longitudinal bore 3 and a number of vertical bores 2,', the latter serving for the attachment of the roots of the bristles-2 to the back members. Bores 3 are close to the ends of the holes 2', that is` to say they are ararrangedas low as possible and below the longitudinal axis of equilibriumll of the members 2D `applied no vequilibrium of the back member excludes or at which axle 22 is passed in Fig. 1. The clamp has 10 l With holes I2 .for ascrew bolt I3 with nut-I4. A handle or'broom stick I5 may be inserted in the holder or clamp 8 and fastened 'thereto by tightening nut I4. In order to ensure the connection of 4the, handle to the device, I provide the lower end of thehandle with a groove I6 which tsover axle 22, as shown in Fig. 2. In this manner the handle' may clasp the two projections I I axle and swivel about it, together with the holder 3. A broom or brush according to my `invention freely adjusts itself to the surfaceV to which it is Y matter at what angle to the surface n the broom stick is directed. The arrangement of the axle below the longitudinal axis of least reduces an undesirable tendency of the broom to swivel relatively to the handle into a,

`denite position, because the weight'of the bristles protruding from the back member counterbalances the difference in weight of the back member portion above the axle vminus the portion below the axle. In addition thereto, a braking means may be provided in order to prevent a free relative movement of lback member and handle, and to permit such movement only 35 when a certain torque is created owing to the sweeping or scrubbing force applied at the handle. e Such braking means may consist of compression springs 25 and 26 acting with their ends sideways against holder 8, and back members-2i) andZI respectively so asto create a certai-nfriction force between the parts movable relatively toeach other.` i i I Metal ties 2-'I and 28 are fastened to the back members by screws 29 and 30, and hold .Ltlien'fi in `their desiredlrelative position. It vwill vbe-noted In order-to make the. entire length of. double .E IlCOlmteI. an UIlBVenneSS.

brush useful, the bristles are so flared at the inner ends of the back members as at 3| and 32 that they span the distance between these members and provide an uninterrupted brushing surface from one outer end 33 of the brush or broom to the other end 34.

Figs. and 6 illustrate a modified form in which the assembling is particularly simplified.

In these gures, the back members 50 are chamfered at the sides 5| and towards the outer ends at 52. This gives the back members a desirable appearance as well as sufficient material to counterbalance the bristles-provided portionin relation to their common axle 53. Each back member has a bore 54 fitting the diameter of axle 53 and extending from the end oppo'sitetotheA chamfered end portion towards the interior of the back member. Another and wider bore 55 extending from the end 52 coaxially with bore'54 meets the latter so as to form a shoulder 56 in the interior of the back member. This design is '.chosen, because I have found difficulties to pass a Vbore with the small diameter of axle 53 through the-entire length of the back member.

Into bore 55,'a tube 51 is inserted with an inner diameter corresponding to the'outerV diameter of a-xle. 53.- .Tube V51 reaches substantially from shoulder 56 to the end 52 of back member 5U. Axle A53 is providedwith a head 58 at one of its ends, and hasa threaded portion 59 with nut 60 at itsother e'nd. Axle 54 `is passed through the entire length of tubes 51, and' bores 54 of thev two back members 50 which are arranged at a distance toeach other. In the gap 6| between both back members a handle holder 8` and springs 25 and 26 are arranged onV axle 53 in the same manner as shown lin Fig. 2. The back members are furthermore provided each withtwo vbores 62 parallel with bore` 55. All bores mentioned in the foregoing are very closeto the roots ofthe bristles 2 andwith their axes below the axes 4 of equilibrium ofthe back members 50. .Two pins 63 being slightly shorter than the sum of two times the length of a bore 62 plus the width of gap 6| are inserted into the bores 62 of the two back members which are symmetrically arranged opposite each other onaxle 53. This arrangement provides that the axle 53 may vbe located substan- .tiallyb'elow theY axis of equilibrium of the back frnembers.

` When the parts are assembled, as shown,` nut 68 permits to adjust the compression of springs 25' and 26, so as to give the desired ramount of frictional resistance to a relative movement of the back members and handle holder 8.. 'Pins63 preventrelative movement of the back members in relation'to each other, and, furthermore, prevent turning over of the back members, because they limit the relative movement ofthe handle holder at a definite angle from its center position.

In some instances, however, I have found that a broom or brush as described in relation to Figs. 1 to 6 .has the tendency of raising thetrailing edges of the back members when their front edges In order to overcome this drawback,. I prefer to arrangethe axle of the back members substantially flushwith the lower surface of the back members, in fact between the bores for the bristles.` formis illustrated in Figs. 'Tand 8.

Two back members are arranged symmetri- A preferred Vcally with each other and so as to form the longitudinal continuation of each other with a gap 1| 4therebetween. Each back member has in its vertical center'plane alongitudinal cavity orgroove 12 between the holes 13 and 14 of two rows of bristles 93, and two recesses and 16 in its walls 11 and 18 respectively. Each recess is formed as a segment of a circle the radius of which is longer than the distance of the circle center 19 from the lower surface 80 of the back member. Circular plates 8| are fitted into the recesses 15 and 16, and are provided with an eccentric hole 82 opposite the longitudinal groove 12. An axle 83 is passed through the holes 82 of all plates 8| in the recesses 15 and 16 of both back members 10 so as to be housed in their grooves 12. Axle 83 has a lhead 84 and a threaded end portion 85 with nut 86, andcarries, in gap 1| the handle holder or clamp 8 with handle |5 so that the holder with the handle may swing about the axle. Compression springs 81 and 88 are interposed between clampy 8 and the plates 8| near gap 1|. Head 84 and nut 86 of axle 83 hold the parts of the device together, and nut 86 permits an adjustment of the compression springs, and hence of the friction force resisting to a relative movement of the back members and the handle. Bores 89 and pins 90 may be provided in a similar manner to and for the same purpose vas bores 62 with pins 63 in the embodiment of Fig. 5. In order to allow for a suflicient angle of oscillation of the handle, bores Y 89 are also arranged as low as possible, that is to say between two rows of holes 9| and 92 for the bristles, and approximately on the same level as axle 83. The bristles are so flared at 93 that they close gap- 1| at the sweeping surface. The very low location of axle 83 excludes or at least considerably reduces the tendency of the back members of `raising the trailing edges during the sweeping action when the bristles strike an ob- *stacle as for instance a threshold.

v "The construction of the embodiment according to Fig, '7 is of particular advantage, because it requires only one screw nut to be tightened in order to secure all parts together. The head and the nut ofthe axle in cooperation with the springs hold theplates 8| in the recesses 15 and '16, and the plates hold the axle in the grooves 12,

simultaneously transmitting the force applied at below said axis, said' back members being ar-Y ranged'at a distance to each other with a gap therebetween, an axle inserted into said cavities of said back members so as to bridge said gap,

4means for holding said back members together, a

handle holder journaled on said axle within said gap between said back 'members and resilient means'operative in opposite directions from said holder and bearing against said back members so'as to create a frictional resistance to a relative movement'of said back members and saidi` handle holder.

2.`A brush comprising two bristles-provided solid back members, each having a longitudinal axis of equilibrium, said back members. being arranged one as the continuation of the other one with a gap therebetween, means for holding said back members in their relative position, each backmemberf having an elongated cavity substantially below its longitudinalV axis of equilibrium, ari-axle inserted in said cavities and bridging said gap, a clamping device for a handle journaled on said axle in said gap, and springs on said axle at both sides of said clamping device and bearing against said back members so as to create a frictional resistance to ya relative movement of said back members and said clamping device.

3. A brush comprising two bristles-provided solid back members, said back members being arranged lengthwise and symmetrically with respect to each other and with a gap therebetween, an axle attached to the back members substantially flush with their lower surfaces so as to bridge said gap, a handle holder journaled on said axle in said gap, and resilient means operative in opposite directions from said holder and bearing against said back members so as to create a frictional resistance to a relative movement of said back members and said handle holder.

4. A brush comprising two solid back members, said back members being arranged lengthwise and symmetrically with respect to each other and with a gap therebetween, each back member having several rows of holes for bristles to be secured therein, and a groove between two ofsaid rows of holes, an axle secured to said back members in said grooves, a handle holder journaled on said axle in said gap, and resilient means operative in opposite directions from said handle holder and bearing against said back members so as to create a frictional resistance to a relative movement of l said back members and said handle holder.

- WERNER KRAFT. 

